May 26, 2020 - Energy & Climate

WSJ: Amazon in talks to buy self-driving tech company Zoox

Joann Muller

A Zoox robot car is on a test drive. — A Zoox robot car on a test drive in 2019. Photo: Andrej Sokolow/picture alliance via Getty Images

Amazon is in advanced talks to buy Zoox, a developer of autonomous vehicle technology, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday night.

Why it matters: It's the latest move by the e-commerce giant, which appears to be building an electric, autonomous logistics operation through its investments in EV truck maker Rivian, self-driving tech company Aurora Innovation and now, potentially, Zoox, which had been planning to introduce a robo-taxi service.

The Journal cautioned that an agreement may be weeks away and the discussions could still fall apart.
Earlier, The Information reported that Zoox was considering a sale while continuing to look for additional funding.

The intrigue: Zoox has been intent on developing a robo-taxi service using a vehicle developed in-house, but it's unlikely Amazon wants to get into driverless ride-sharing.

More likely, it will seek to blend Zoox's AV expertise with that of Aurora and Rivian, which it has tapped to deliver a fleet of 100,000 electric delivery trucks.

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WSJ: Amazon in talks to buy self-driving tech company Zoox

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